AN: I love having pre-written chapters. Thank you so much to everyone that is reading and is adding this to their alerts and favorites. Special thanks to MyHeartShipsZouis for leaving the first review!

Don't worry, the next chapter is longer than this one.

Disclaimer: I sound too Yankee-Doodle-Dandy to be JK Rowling.

Title: Chocolate

Word Count: 992

Summary: Reboot!The hardest thing to do after a war is to wake up. 101 one-shots in a gender-bended universe of people getting better .


Halley's body jerked as she woke.

Opening her eyes, she half expected to see yellow painted walls and not the blue ones of Beatrice's old room. The rooming arrangement hadn't changed when everyone had returned to the Burrow. They were more or less sleeping in their old rooms, but Halley had chose to sleep in one of the older bedrooms, claiming that it would be better if there was no one near to wake up with her nightmares.

Except it wasn't a grisly nightmare. A part of her mind went back to the dream, almost imagining what it would be like if her birthday had gone differently…but dreams like those were rare and welcoming throughout those months of hiding and fighting.

Chocolate, she thought, kicking her sheets away. I need chocolate.

Slipping on her sleeping robe, Halley crept down the several creaky flights of stairs, and went to go make her a cup of much needed hot chocolate. The past few years of having her summers at the Burrow meant that she could now move along the house very well in the dark. Even without her glasses.

The kitchen was dark and looked very different without the delicious food being cooked, or Mrs Weasley busying herself with the pots and pans. Weak moonlight entered through the windows, giving the room an almost ghostly appearance by washing the colours out.

And when holding the mug filled with hot milk was when Halley bumped into someone from behind.

Surviving a war only had so many consequences—and constant vigilance was the least of it. Everyone in the Burrow had a healthy sense of paranoia now; even more someone would leave the safety of the wards. Halley had tried going to Diagon Alley only a week ago, but had found the bustling amount of people and activities almost too much. She had to retreat to the shop to collect herself before returning to the Burrow.

And just like that, Halley dropped the mug and drew her wand only to find herself also at wandpoint.

"Shit," Gid said. "Shit, shit, shit."

"Ow!" Halley hissed. She dropped her wand and clutched her bleeding foot. Her mug had to fall and shatter like that. "What was that for?"

"I didn't see you," he said. He waved his wand and the puddle of hot chocolate and ceramic shards vanished. "I'm so sorry—here, let me." Gid helped her to the kitchen counter. "Nightmare again?"

Halley sat on the counter and she tensed as Gid touched the large cut on her foot. "Not really," she muttered. "And you?"

Gid raised his head and she had a hard time reading his expression without her glasses. "Some," he said. He pointed his wand at the cut and painfully red skin, and softly spoke a healing charm. Halley muttered some curses as the healing process began. "I'm still not good at this," he warned her belatedly. The red color faded away, and blood siphoned off as the skin knitted itself back together.

"I've noticed." Halley flexed her foot, admiring her new scar. "But I've had worse."

Gid rose to his feet and she felt very aware that she was wearing an old robe and a vest that she had bought several years ago. "It was a nice dream?" The exhaustion on his face changed to something more wistful. Halley wondered how bad his dreams were.

She thought back to the dream and vividly recalled the memories of her birthday mingling with imagination. It was a 'what if' if Rory had not interrupted and they were allowed to have one moment before more war was spilled into their lives. "It was," she said.

A corner of Gid's mouth tilted upwards. "That's it? You want to keep those dreams of playing Pro Quidditch all to yourself?"

"It wasn't that," said Halley. She tucked one leg under the other. Determined to change the topic, she asked: "I take it that yours wasn't about being in the box seats for a Harpies match?"

"Can we just talk about Quidditch? It's nicer conversational material than horrifying nightmares."

"You would be doing the same to me," Halley. She took in his appearance and saw the heavy shadows under his eyes and the tired lines on his face. She clearly wasn't the only one who was having trouble sleeping. "Come on, if it was me having the nightmare then you would be making me open up over some hot chocolate." She unfolded one leg and nudged his knee with her toes. "What do you say?"

"That offer makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside." Gid sat down in a chair and watched as she got the bottle of milk and chocolate out. "You seriously didn't dream about Quidditch?"

Halley snorted. She waved her wand over the pan and the milk began to boil and release steam. "Keep that up and you'll never find out." Hopefully, that will be the case, she thought. The heavy bar of chocolate melted in the milk, and the rich scent reached her nose, calming her senses. Soon she conjured two mugs and poured the hot drink in them. "Sorry for having you at wandpoint." Halley Levitated the mugs to the table and took the seat next to him.

Gid shrugged and cradled the mug in his large hands. "At least you didn't jinx me. I would have jinxed you back." There was a small pause. "How's your eyesight without those specs?"

"You look like one of those weird paintings with bright colours but no details. Other than that it's fantastic." Halley squinted to see his face. She could make out the shape of his features, his freckles, even the shadows under his eyes, but that was when she noticed how close to his face she was.

"Is this when the staring contest starts?" Gid met her gaze. His eyes were dark and unblinking, but his ears were turning pink.

"You're distracting me," Halley murmured. "Stop it."